Offer Opt-Down Options to Reduce Opt-Outs

Too many emails from a single sender is one of the main reasons people opt-out of receiving company emails. Does your business want to decrease its email opt-out rate? Deal with the frequency issue and you’re more likely to retain those subscribers. Do this by offering opt-down choices as an option to opting out.

Every email marketing campaign is competing against the “Report Spam” button. Providing content that is valued by the receivers is key to retaining active subscribers. Still, as the inbox continually grows, each person reaches a limit to the number of emails that he can read, digest and act on. When people get overwhelmed by an inundation of email, they start to delete and unsubscribe. Think of it as email’s version of “survival of the fittest.”

To implement an opt-down program, start by selecting an Email Service Provider that offers opt-down options. After signing up, create an “Email Communication Preference Page” instead of an opt-out page. Lay out the page in a way that clearly highlights multiple options.

Place copy at the top of the page that touts the benefits the receiver gets from the emails your company sends. Then provide a selection of subscription choices for the recipient, such as getting emails once a month instead of weekly, or only emails on a certain topic. Below that section, provide a change of email address field. The next section should be the “Unsubscribe” button. Make sure to also include an option that allows the recipient to continue receiving all emails from your company. Here is an example of how Carnival has implemented their opt-out page.

Below is another example of an Email Communication Preference Page. This one is courtesy of Kenneth Cole.

Create a single web page with easy to consume text and lots of whitespace. Make it visually appealing and make it simple and you’re likely to keep some potential unsubscribers from going AWOL.